Wrapping machine



Aug. 28, 1956 F. c. CRESCENZO WRAPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 1952 INVENTOR fm/vc/s C. Cms'scnvzo ATTORNE(S Aug. 28, 1956 F. c. cREscENzo WRAPPING MACHINE 3 Sheefs-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Filed Sept. 18, 1952 Aug. 28, 1956 F. c. CRESCENZO WRAPPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 18, 1952 INVENTOR .EPA/VC/J C. C/mscnvzo BY #714 4 %0RNEY$ Unite States Palffit N age Machinery Company, East Longmeadow, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 18, 1352, Serial No. 310,343

- 3 Claims. (Cl. 198170) This invention relates to an improvement in wrapping machines and more particularly to mechanism for transporting articles to be wrapped through a wrapping channel which may or may not include sealing means.

High speed is a prime requirement in present day wrapping machines. Various presently available wrapping instrumentalities have been found adaptable for high speed operation provided the articles can be carried to and through such instrumentalities under adequate control so that they are presented to and engaged thereby in a precise and timed relation, to take advantage of the capacities of the instrumentalities for rapid operation.

Furthermore the advantages of high speed operation may in part be lost because of operational stoppages due to defective packages, this being particularly true where heat sealing means are included in the wrapping channel and partially or completely wrapped packages are subjected to over-heating in the channel during an interruption of the wrapping operation.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide mechanism for advancing articles through the wrapping channel in a precise and timed manner and by which operational stoppages are minimized in occurrence and duration.

Other and further objects residing in the details of con struction will be made apparent in the following specifica= tion and claims and in the disclosure of the drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, parts being broken away, of the wrapping channel portion of a wrapping machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, portions or the wrapping machine frame are indicated at 1. In the drawings the wrapping machine is shown as including a wrapping channel 2 to which partially wrapped articles are presented by an elevator, not shown, operating in vertical well orchannel 3. The partially wrapped articles p are advanced from the elevator into the channel by a reciprocating plunger, which may be of conventional construction, indicated at 4. As the plunger 4 retreats leaving the partially wrapped article in the entrance of the channel 2, the article is engaged and carried forward through the channel by one of a plurality of pushers 5 of a transport mechanism, the construction of which forms an important feature of the invention. The folders and heaters which complete the wrapping and sealing of the packages as the latter are carried through the channel are diagrammatically indicated in broken lines at f and h, Fig. 2.

As shown, the pushers 5 include spaced flanged fingers 6 which extend downwardly from carriers 7. The carriers 7 are generally U-shaped and as best shown in Fig. 3 have arms 8 and 9 of unequal length. The free ends of 2,760,621 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 ice arms 8 and 9 respectively are pivotally connected at 10 and 11 to respective chains 12 and 13 trained around respective pairs of sprockets 14-15 and 1617.

Sprockets 14 and 16 are rotatably mounted on respective stub shafts 19 and 20 carried by a bridge member 21 pivoted or hinged at one endto the frame of the machine as at 22. Sprocket 17 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 23 carried by a bridge member 24 pivoted or hinged to the main frame at 25. Sprocket 15 is fixed to a shaft 26 journaled in-bridge member 24.

As is best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the axes of the several sprockets and their shafts lie in a common horizontal plane and the axes of sprockets 14 and 15 are offset longitudinally in the direction of the wrapping chan nel (to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3) from the axes of sprockets 16 and 17. The difference in the lengths of arms 8 and 9, that is the distance between the pivot points 10 and 11 in the line of travel of the chains is equal to the extent of offset of the axes of sprockets 1415 relative to the axes of sprockets 16-17. By reason of this arrangement the pushers 5 with their fingers 6 maintain a vertical position, or other desired angular relationship, with respect to the floor 27 of the wrapping channel as the sprocket chains round the sprockets and throughout the chain travel.

The bridge members 21 and 24 are connected by rigid side frame members 28, and at their free ends by a rod 29, the latter forming a handle by which the bridge members and side frame members 28 with the parts car-' ried thereby may be swung about the hinges 22 and 25 to the dotted line position of Figs. 2 and 4, affording unobstructed access to. the wrapping channel.

The side members 28 carry supporting members 39. Fixed to the supporting members 30 at one side of the channel are angle strips 31 (Figs. 2 and 3) beneath which rolls 32; carried by pushers 5, engage to give rigidity to the latter as articles are propelled through the wrapping channel. Members 30 also carry lower guide rails 33 between which and the lower edges of side members 28 the lower runs of sprocket chains 12 and 13 are supported and guided. The upper runs of chains 12 and 13 are supported by upper guide rails 34 carried by supporting members 35 adjustably secured to members 30 by bolts 36 passing through slots 37 in members 35.

The members 30 alsocarry brackets 44) which are adjustably secured to the members 30 by screws 41 passing through slots 42 formed in the brackets. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper surfaces of the packages p passing through the channelare engaged by yielding presser rails 43' which are provided with posts 44 passing through openings in plates 45 fixed to brackets by screws 46. Pins 47 retain the posts in the plates and springs 48 surrounding the posts between rails 43 and plates 45 permit upward yielding of the rails. I

Shaft 26 which carries the transport chain sprocket 15 also carries a gear 50 (Fig. 4) which meshes with a gear 51 on a counter shaft 52 which also carries a gear 53. Gear 53 meshes with a pinion 54 on stub shaft 55, meshing with a gear 56 on a cross shaft 57. Shaft 57 carries a sprocket 58 connected by a chain 59 to the motor (not shown) of the wrapping machine or other suitable source of power.

Shaft 26 also carries a gear 60 which meshes with a gear 61 fixed to a countershaft 62 mounted in bridge member 24. A gear 63, also fixed to countershaft 62, meshes with a gear 64 rotatably mounted on shaft 23. Gear 64 and sprocket 17 are integrally connected together, whereby the transport chains 12 and 13 are driven in synchronism.

As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 the pivots 25 of bridge member 24 are so arranged in relation to shafts 26 and 62 that when the transport frame is swung to the dotted line position of Fig. 4 the gears 50 and 51 remain in partial mesh so that the timed relationship of the transport mechanism with respect to the other members of the wrapping machine is maintained.

As will be apparent when the transport frame is raised to the dotted line position of Fig. 4 the entire wrapping channel is made accessible and cleared of obstruction by the pushers and other parts of the transport system. This is of particular importance in the wrapping of frozen food packages. If for any reason it is necessary to stop the wrapping machine the transport frame may be quickly raised, the partially wrapped packages removed from the wrapping channel and returned to refrigeration if necessary. In any event the frozen packages may be removed from the influence of the heaters in the channel which serve to seal the wrappers, During the interval that the machine is inoperative gears 50 and 51 remain in mesh so that when the transport frame is returned to operative position the transport and wrapping instrumentalities are in the same timed relation as at the stoppage :of the machine. I

The transport frame is counterbalanced sufiiciently to be held in raised position by a spring 65 connected between a rear extension 66 of bridge member 24 and a member 67 of the main frame of the machine.

The free ends of the bridge members 21 and 24 are provided with respective extensions 70 and -71 which engage adjustable stops 712 and 73 carried by the main frame to assure proper position of the transport with the channel when in operative position. Extension 70 has a wing bolt 74 threaded in its end and engaging in a slot 75 formed in the upper end of a bracket 76 fixed to the main frame by which the transport mechanism may be releasably locked in operative position.

When the transport mechanism of the invention is used with a wrapping machine in which, as shown, the packages are delivered to the entrance of the wrapping channel by an elevator operating in the vertical well '3, the bridge member 21 is preferably provided with brackets 77 on which plates 78 (Fig. 3) are adjustably mounted by screw bolts 79 extending through slots 80 in the plates. Presser rails =81 are secured to the lower ends of threaded pins 82 adjustably mounted in plates 78 and held in yielding alignment with presser rails '43, previously described, by springs 83 compressed between nuts 84 and plates 78, the downward movement of rails 81 being limited by nuts 85. By this arrangement the top of well '3 is made accessible when the transport frame is raised.

After their passage through the channel 2 the wrapped and sealed packages are left, by the upward withdrawal of the pushers -5, between discharge belts 88 which pass around constantly driven pulleys 89 (Fig. 4) which are fixed on the upper ends of shafts 90. The lower ends of shafts 90 carry bevel gears 91 meshing with bevel gears 92 fixed on shaft 57.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wrapping machine having a frame and a wrapping channel carried by said frame, said wrapping channel being open along its upper side, bridging members pivoted to said frame on a common axis at one side of the channel and extending across the channel, conveyor means carried by said bridging members and including spaced pusher members for advancing articles through the channel, means including a gear carried by one of said bridging members and a gear carried by said frame and meshing with said first-mentioned gear for driving said conveyor, and means connecting said bridging members for common pivotal movement about said axis to swing said conveyor means and 'pushers clear of the channel, said gears being so positioned with respect to said axis that they remain partly in mesh when said conveyor and pushers are swung clear of the channel.

2. In a wrapping machine havinga frame and a wrapping channel carried by said frame, said wrapping channel being open along its upper side, bridging members pivoted to said frame on a common axis at one side of the channel and extending across the channel, a pair of endless conveyor chains carried by said bridging members, spaced pusher members pivotally connected to said chains for advancing articles through the channel, means to maintain said pushers at right angles to said channel throughout their travel, means including a gear carried by one of said bridging members and a gear carried by said frame and meshing with said first-mentioned gear for driving said conveyor, and 'means connecting said bridging members for common pivotal movement about said axis to swing said conveyor and pushers clear of the channel, said gears being so positioned with respect to said axis that they remain partly in mesh when saidcon veyor and pushers are swung clear of the channel.

' 3. In a wrapping machine having a frame and a wrapping channel carried by said frame, said wrapping channel being open along its upper side, bridging members pivoted to said frame on acommo'naxis at one side of the channel and extend-ing across the channel, a pair of sprockets one carried by each of said bridging members, an endless chain passing around said sprockets, a second pair: of sprockets one carried by each of said bridging members, a second endless chain passing around said second pair of sprockets, the axes of said'sprockets lying in a common plane, the axes'of said first pair being transversely offset from the axes of the second pair inthe same direction, spaced pushers carried by said chain for advancing articles through the channel each of said pushersbeingpivotally connected to eachcf said chains, the pivotal connection of:said pushers to one of the chains being otfsetfrom the pivotal'connection to the other chain a distance equal to said offsetting of the axes of the sprockets and in the same directionto maintain the wish ers'at right angles toithechannelthroughout the travel of the chains, and means connecting said bridging membersfor. common pivotal movement about said pivlotal axis to swing said chains and pushers clear of the channel.

References Cited in the as 'or this patent UNITED STATES :PATENTS Smoker Oct. 20, 1953 

